I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus used in electrosurgical procedures, and more particularly an adapter that can be used with a bipolar instrument to make it usable with a monopolar output of an electrosurgical generator as a monopolar instrument.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
In electrosurgical procedures, a high frequency current is applied through an instrument to tissue so as to effect cutting and/or coagulation of that tissue. In the case of a monopolar system, the electrosurgical generator has a monopolar output terminal connected by a single wire to an electrode disposed on the electrosurgical instrument. The return or indifferent electrode generally comprises a skin-contacting pad affixed to the buttocks of the patient and connected by a lead to the ground or return terminal of the electrosurgical generator. In this arrangement, when the monopolar electrosurgical generator is activated, a current flows from the monopolar electrode on the instrument to the tissue being cut or coagulated and that electrical current traverses through the patient's body to the return electrode generally along a path of least resistance. In the case of a bipolar electrosurgical system, the electrosurgical instrument generally supports two closely-spaced electrodes, each of which is connected to the output terminal of the bipolar electrosurgical generator. When the two electrodes are made to contact body tissue, a current is established only in the tissue effectively bridging the two electrodes.
During the course of certain surgeries, a situation may be encountered in which the surgeon may want to convert a bipolar instrument to a monopolar instrument, recognizing that, generally speaking, monopolar electrosurgery provides electrosurgical cutting and a more global coagulation than can be attained using a bipolar instrument. Also, taking into account the fact that bipolar electrosurgical instruments are of a more recent vintage than monopolar electrosurgical instruments, there are many more monopolar electrosurgical generators in use and a manufacturer and seller of bipolar instruments may wish to offer compatibility of those instruments with monopolar electrosurgical outputs.
It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide an adapter apparatus for interfacing a bipolar electrosurgical instrument to a monopolar electrosurgical output.